Packaging and dispenser device comprising an endpiece, and a flexible pouch fastened to the endpiece

ABSTRACT

A packaging and dispenser device may include: a flexible pouch including a top edge, and a dispenser endpiece onto which the pouch is fastened. The dispenser endpiece may include: a tubular body including an axis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice; and two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that are situated on either side of the tubular body. Each fin may include at least one tapering portion that includes two downwardly-converging opposite faces. Each fin may include, over at least a fraction of its length, a projection forming an abutment for the top edge of the pouch.

This non provisional application claims the benefit of FrenchApplication No. 05 52714 filed on Sep. 8, 2005 and U.S. Provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/719,964 filed on Sep. 26, 2005, the entiredisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a packaging and dispenser devicecomprising an endpiece made of plastics material, and to a flexiblepouch fastened to the endpiece.

BACKGROUND

U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,466 discloses an example of an endpiece comprising atubular body, a collar, and below said collar, two diametrally-oppositefins presenting constant thickness in the axial direction, and taperingin the radial direction.

When the endpiece includes a threaded neck in order to receive a cap,the consumer must grip the cap with one hand, and the pouch with theother, and turn one relative to the other in order to unscrew the cap.

Since the pouch is not rigid, twisting occurs below the cap, whichtwisting deforms the pouch giving it an unattractive twisted appearance,and makes the device awkward to use.

One solution for remedying that problem can consist in making, below thecollar, a wide hollow portion of lenticular cross-section, the oppositewalls of the flexible pouch being fastened to the long sides of the widehollow portion.

Such a solution presents the drawback of leaving a certain amount ofcomposition inside the wide hollow portion that is difficult to extractfrom the pouch.

In addition, the plastics material of the endpiece presents a certainamount of permeability to air, and the relatively large exchange areacan degrade preservation of the composition contained in the pouch.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,167 discloses an endpiece that also includes twodiametrally-opposite fins tapering in the radial direction. Such anendpiece does not solve, in entirely satisfactory manner, the problem ofgas exchange through the plastics material of the endpiece, and it makesit difficult to empty the pouch completely because of the possibility ofcomposition accumulating below the endpiece.

US 2003/0172950 describes an endpiece including two fins provided withrecesses for achieving a saving in material.

SUMMARY

Consequently, there exists a need to benefit from a packaging anddispenser device in which the endpiece is easy to fasten to the pouchwith a relative accurate positioning, which is easy to use, for examplewhen unscrewing the cap, and which also provides satisfactory emptyingof the pouch, as well as good preservation from air, when thecomposition contained in said pouch is sensitive to oxidizing.

In one of its aspects, the invention provides a packaging and dispenserdevice comprising a flexible pouch, and a dispenser endpiece onto whichthe pouch is fastened, the dispenser endpiece comprising:

-   -   a tubular body having an axis, and defining at least one inlet        orifice and a dispenser orifice; and    -   two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that        are situated on either side of the body, each fin having at        least one axially-tapering portion that tapers in the axial        direction going away from the dispenser orifice. The fins may        include, over at least a fraction of their length, i.e. along        their longitudinal axis, downwardly-converging opposite faces,        said faces possibly extending over a major fraction of the        height of said portion, or indeed over substantially the entire        height of the fins.

The fins may also include over at least a fraction of their length atleast one projection forming on abutment for a top edge of the pouch.The pouch may thus easily be fastened in a relative accurate way to theendpiece. This projection may define a shoulder or an edge with at leastone of the faces of the fins or with both of them and may include one orseveral ribs extending over at least a portion of the top edge of thefins.

In addition, tapering the fins reduces gas exchange through theendpiece, as well as the volume of composition likely to remain trappedin the device at the end of its life.

The fins may comprise longitudinal top and bottom edges and at least aportion presenting two opposite faces converging from the top edgetowards the bottom edge.

In another of its aspects, the invention also provides a packaging anddispenser device comprising a flexible pouch, and an endpiece onto whichthe pouch is fastened, the endpiece comprising a tubular body, and twodiametrally-opposite fins extending from the tubular body, the pouchcomprising two opposite walls that are heat-sealed together, and thatdefine an inside space for containing the composition, in which devicethe fins are isolated from the inside space of the pouch over at least afraction of their length by means of a zone in which the walls areheat-sealed together.

The heat-sealing zone isolates the inside space from the plasticsmaterial of the endpiece, thereby making it possible to reduce the gasexchange through the plastics material of the endpiece, and improves theemptying of the pouch.

The fins may advantageously be isolated from the inside space over theirentire length by a zone in which the walls of the pouch are heat-sealedtogether. Said zone may extend underlying the longitudinal bottom edgeof the fins.

The endpiece is thus in contact with the composition only in the centralportion of the body, the fins being completely integrated in theheat-sealing of the walls of the tube.

Each of the fins may include at least one oblique portion having alongitudinal axis extending obliquely relative to the axis of thetubular body.

In another exemplary embodiment, each of the fins may include at leastone perpendicular portion having a longitudinal axis extendingperpendicularly relative to the axis of the tubular body. At least oneof the longitudinal top edge, longitudinal bottom edge or both of themmay include a portion extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axisof the tubular body.

When the device is observed with the axis of the body of the verticalendpiece and the dispenser orifice at the top, the fins may generallyextend downwards.

The fins may include a portion comprising downwardly-converging oppositefaces converging along a direction parallel to the axis of the tubularbody.

The fins may or may not be substantially rectilinear, e.g. each fin mayinclude a downwardly-directed bend.

Over at least a fraction of its top edge, each fin may further includetwo opposite ribs. The top edge of the pouch may come to bearsubstantially against the underside(s) of the rib(s).

At least one fin may extend in the radial direction over a distance thatis greater than 10 millimeters (mm), so as to make it easier to unscrewa cap that is mounted on the endpiece.

Each of the fins may include an end portion that tapers away from thetubular body.

The body may include a collar. The distal ends of the fins may befurther from the axis of the body than is the collar.

The collar may include at least one flat that is substantially parallelto the fins, and in particular two diametrally-opposite flats that aresubstantially parallel to the fins.

The body may include a threaded neck extending between the collar andthe dispenser orifice, so as to receive a closure cap.

The device may include rounded junctions between the fins and thetubular body, beside the inlet orifice.

The pouch may advantageously be heat-sealed on the endpiece, and it maycomprise two opposite main walls that are heat-sealed on the fins.

The main walls may advantageously be heat-sealed together along at leasta fraction of the length of the fins, and below said fins.

The longitudinal edges of the pouch may be further from the axis of thebody than are the distal ends of the fins. In a variant, thelongitudinal edges of the pouch may be closer to the axis of the bodythan are the distal ends of the fins.

In another of its aspect, the invention provides a packaging anddispenser device comprising a flexible pouch, and an endpiece onto whichthe pouch is fastened, the endpiece comprising a tubular body having anaxis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice,and two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that aresituated on either side of the body, each fin comprising a longitudinaltop edge and longitudinal bottom edge, and at least a portion presentingtwo opposite faces converging from the longitudinal top edge towards thelongitudinal bottom edge, the pouch comprising two opposite walls thatare heat-sealed together, and that define an inside space for containingthe composition, in which device the fins are isolated from the insidespace of the pouch over at least a fraction of their length, or overtheir entire length by a zone in which in the walls are heat-sealedtogether.

In another of its aspect, the invention also provides a packaging anddispenser device comprising a flexible pouch, and an endpiece onto whichthe pouch is fastened, the endpiece comprising a tubular body having anaxis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice,and two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that aresituated on either side of the body, each fin comprising at least oneportion having a longitudinal axis extending obliquely relative to theaxis of the tubular body, this portion presenting two opposite facesconverging downwards, along a direction perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of said portion.

In another of its aspect, the invention also provides a packaging anddispenser device comprising a flexible pouch, and an endpiece onto whichthe pouch is fastened, the endpiece comprising a tubular body having anaxis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice,and two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that aresituated on either side of the body, each fin comprising at least oneportion having a longitudinal axis extending obliquely relative to theaxis of the tubular body, this portion presenting two opposite facesconverging downwards, along a direction parallel to the axis of thetubular body.

By way of example, the pouch is made from a heat-sealable compositesheet, that may include a metal layer.

By way of example, the pouch contains a composition that must not beexposed to air during storage, for example a cosmetic or dermatologiccomposition. Such a cosmetic composition is for instance a haircolorant.

The invention may also provide an endpiece for a packaging andapplicator device as defined above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood on reading the following detaileddescription of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation showing an example of adevice made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on II-II of FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section on III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the FIG. 1 endpiece in isolation;

FIG. 5 is an axial section of the FIG. 4 endpiece;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the FIG. 4 endpiece;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the FIG. 4 endpiece;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section on VIII-VIII of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 9 and 11 are diagrammatic and fragmentary views similar to FIG. 1,showing variant embodiments of the invention; and

FIGS. 10 and 12 are sections on X-X and XII-XII respectively.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a packaging and dispenser device 1 comprising a flexiblepouch 2 that is fastened, at its top, to an endpiece 3.

The pouch 2 comprises two main walls 4 and 5 that are heat-sealedtogether at their periphery, and that are heat-sealed to the endpiece 3,in such as manner as to form an inside space for containing thecomposition, the heat-sealing being represented by a hatched zone inFIG. 1.

The endpiece is made of plastics material, e.g. of polyethylene.

In the embodiment under consideration, the pouch 2 has two longitudinaledges 6 that extend along a longitudinal axis X, and a bottom wall 7that extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis X, but othershapes are possible.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the endpiece 3 comprises a tubular body 8 ofaxis Y, the top of the body including a threaded neck 10 that defines adispenser orifice 11 for the composition.

The threaded neck 10 can receive a closure cap, not shown, that screwsonto the endpiece.

The bottom of the body 8 includes a skirt 13 that defines, at its bottomend, an inlet orifice 14 for the composition.

The body 8 includes a collar 15 at the base of the threaded neck 10.

The endpiece 3 includes two diametrally-opposite fins each extendingfrom the skirt 13 along a longitudinal axis Z that slopes downwards inthe embodiment under consideration, and that forms, relative to thelongitudinal axis Y of the body 8, a non-zero angle α, e.g. close to80°, as shown in FIG. 5.

In a variant, not shown, the angle α could be equal to 90°.

In the embodiment under consideration, the fins 20 extend in rectilinearmanner along the axis Z, but this could be otherwise, as describedbelow.

As shown in FIG. 8, each fin 20 presents, in cross-section, a thicknesse that tapers downwards, and that includes two main faces 23 that formbetween them an angle β, which, for example, lies in the range 5° to10°, e.g. about 8°. The main faces 23 are downwardly-converging along adirection parallel to the axis Y of the body 8.

Along its top longitudinal edge, each fin 20 includes two longitudinalribs 24, each defining a shoulder 25 with the corresponding face 23 ofthe fin. With the ribs 24, the top of each fin thus forms a flat 27 thatslopes downwards a little.

The distance D between the distal ends 30 of the fins 20 is much greaterthan the distance d between the opposite ends 31 of the collar 15 thatis situated in the plane of the fins, thereby enabling the device to beheld securely by the user while the cap is being unscrewed.

The fins 20 taper at their distal ends 30, as can be seen in particularin FIGS. 4 and 6, thereby avoiding damaging the walls of the pouch. Forthe same purpose, the bottom and top comers 33 and 34 of each fin arerounded at its distal end.

Rounded junctions 35 are provided between the skirt 13 and thelongitudinal bottom edges 37 of the fins 20.

In the embodiment under consideration, the collar 15 includes twodiametrally-opposite flats 38 that are substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axes Z of the fins 20.

When the pouch 2 is assembled with the endpiece 3, the walls 4 and 5 ofthe pouch are heat-sealed on the skirt 13, and on the opposite faces 23of the fins 20, as shown in FIG. 2, and they are also heat-sealedtogether below said faces in a zone 40, as shown in FIG. 2, therebypreventing any accumulation of composition under the endpiece, and alsoreducing gas exchange through the endpiece. This zone 40 in which thewalls of the pouch are heat-sealed together extends underlying thelongitudinal bottom edge of the fins.

The top edges 41 of the walls 4 and 5 advantageously come to bearagainst the edge of the undersides of the ribs 24 of the fins 20, and ofthe collar 15, the axis Y of the endpiece coinciding with the axis X ofthe pouch, in the embodiment under consideration. The ribs 24 may thusform an abutment against which the top edge of the walls of the pouchmay bear.

The longitudinal edges 6 can be further from the axis X than are thedistal ends 30 of the fins.

In a variant, as shown in FIG. 9, the fins 20 can extend beyond thelongitudinal edges 6 of the pouch, said fins presenting a bent shapewith a downwardly-sloping proximal portion 44, and a distal portion 43that extends substantially parallel to the axis Y of the endpiece.

In such a variant, the walls 4 and 5 of the pouch can be heat-sealedtogether below the proximal portion 44, and along a region 46 adjacentto a distal portion 43, on the inside of the pouch, as shown in FIG. 10.

Each distal portion 43 advantageously presents a side 45 that taperstowards the axis Y, so as to make it easier to assemble the walls 4 and5 in the zone 46.

The ribs 24 need not extend over the entire length of the proximalportion 44 of the fins.

In another variant, shown in FIG. 11, the fins 20 present a bent shape,but their radially outermost edge is nearer to the axis Y than are thelongitudinal edges 6 of the pouch, thereby making it possible toassemble the walls 4 and 5 on either side of each distal portion 43, notonly along a zone 46 situated on the inside, but also along an assemblyzone 49 situated on the outside, as can be seen in FIG. 12.

The distal portion 43 advantageously presents a shape that tapers bothinwards and outwards, so as to make it easier to assemble the walls 4and 5.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to a particular shape of pouch,and said pouch could be elongate to a greater or lesser extent, theterms “pouch” and “tube” being considered as being synonymous in thepresent application.

In all of the embodiments described, the ribs 24 could be omitted.

The pouch could be made from various different materials, and inparticular from a composite sheet.

By way of example, such a sheet could be a multi-layer laminatecomprising:

-   -   a metal layer, e.g. made from aluminum, or from an alloy        containing aluminum;    -   an adhesive agent on one side of the metal layer, e.g.        comprising a copolymer containing at least 7% by weight of        carboxylic and/or carboxylate motifs, the carboxylic motifs        possibly being in the form of acid; and    -   a layer of a non-metallic material that is connected to the        metal layer via the adhesive agent, e.g. a thermoplastic        material, preferably polymer, e.g. polyethylene.

By way of example, the carboxylate motif is an acrylate or methacrylatemotif, e.g. ethyl acrylate. By way of example, the carboxylic motif isan acrylic or methacrylic acid. The copolymer could contain at least asecond monomer presenting an alkyl motif having an alkyl chain thatcontains 2 to 10 carbon atoms.

By way of example, the adhesive agent is a copolymer of ethyl acrylateand ethylene, or of acrylic acid and ethylene.

By way of example, the adhesive agent could contain 7% to 19%, moreparticularly 8% to 11%, or even 8.5% to 10.5%, and preferably 9.7% byweight of an acrylic acid, or of an acrylic ester.

The composite structure could include a second outer structure next tothe metal layer, this outer structure possibly being made from athermoplastic material, in particular polymer, e.g. polyethyleneterephthalate, for defining the outer surface of the pouch. This outerstructure could be secured to the metal layer by means of a layer of asecond adhesive agent, in particular a polyurethane-based adhesive.

Other composite-sheet structures are possible.

The packaging device could contain a cosmetic or dermatological productsuch as a hair colorant that must not be exposed to air during storage.By way of example, the composition is a composition containing at leastone alkaline agent that is selected, for example, from ammonia, and/orethanolamine, and/or sodium silicate, and could, for example, contain atleast one oxidizing base, and possibly at least one coupling agent, andone or more direct colorants.

The expression “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymouswith “comprising at least one”, unless specified to the contrary.

Although the present invention herein has been described with referenceto particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodimentsare merely illustrative of the principles and applications of thepresent invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerousmodifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that otherarrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A packaging and dispenser device comprising: a flexible pouchcomprising a top edge, and a dispenser endpiece onto which the pouch isfastened, the dispenser endpiece comprising: a tubular body including anaxis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice;and two fins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that aresituated on either side of the tubular body, each fin including at leastone tapering portion that includes two downwardly-converging oppositefaces, wherein each fin includes over at least a fraction of a lengththereof a projection forming an abutment for the top edge of the pouch.2. A device according to claim 1, the projection comprising a rib thatextends over at least a fraction of a top edge of the fins.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the fins includes at least oneoblique portion including a longitudinal axis that extends obliquelyrelative to the axis of the tubular body.
 4. A device according to claim1, wherein each of the fins includes at least one perpendicular portionincluding a longitudinal axis that extends perpendicularly relative tothe axis of the tubular body.
 5. A device according to claim 1, whereinthe pouch comprises two opposite walls that are heat-sealed together,and that define an inside space for containing a composition, the finsbeing isolated from the inside space over at least a fraction of theirlength by a zone in which the walls of the pouch are heat-sealedtogether.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the fins areisolated from the inside space over an entire length thereof by the zonein which the walls of the pouch are heat-sealed together.
 7. A deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein the zone extends underlying a longitudinalbottom edge of each of the fins.
 8. A device according to claim 1,wherein the fins generally extend downward.
 9. A device according toclaim 1, wherein each fin includes at least one portion comprising twoopposite faces that downwardly converge along a direction parallel tothe axis of the tubular body.
 10. A device according to claim 1, whereineach fin includes, over at least a fraction of a top edge thereof, tworibs.
 11. A device according to claim 10, wherein each rib defines ashoulder with a corresponding face of the fin.
 12. A device according toclaim 1, wherein at least one fin extends in a radial direction over adistance that is greater than 10 mm.
 13. A device according to claim 1,wherein each of the fins includes an end portion that tapers away fromthe tubular body of the endpiece.
 14. A device according to claim 1,wherein the tubular body includes a collar.
 15. A device according toclaim 14, wherein distal ends of the fins are further from the axis ofthe tubular body than is the collar.
 16. A device according to claim 14,wherein the body includes a threaded neck that extends between thecollar and the dispenser orifice.
 17. A device according to claim 1,further comprising rounded junctions between the fins and the tubularbody, beside the inlet orifice.
 18. A device according to claim 14,wherein the collar includes at least one flat that is substantiallyparallel to the fins.
 19. A device according to claim 14, wherein thecollar includes two diametrally opposite flats that are substantiallyparallel to the fins.
 20. A device according to claim 1, wherein thefins are substantially rectilinear.
 21. A device according to claim 1,wherein each fin includes a downwardly-directed bend.
 22. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the pouch is heat-sealed on the endpiece.23. A device according to claim 22, wherein the pouch comprises twoopposite main walls that are heat-sealed on the fins.
 24. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein longitudinal edges of the pouch arefurther from the axis of the tubular body than are distal ends of thefins.
 25. A device according to claim 1, wherein longitudinal edges ofthe pouch are closer to the axis of the tubular body than are distalends of the fins.
 26. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pouchcomprises a composite sheet.
 27. A device according to claim 1, whereinthe pouch comprises a metal layer.
 28. A device according to claim 1,wherein the pouch contains a composition that must not be exposed to airduring storage.
 29. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pouchcontains a hair colorant.
 30. A device according to claim 1, wherein thedownwardly-converging faces of each fin extend over a major fraction ofthe tapering portion.
 31. A device according to claim 1, wherein thedownwardly-converging faces extend over substantially an entire heightof the tapering portion.
 32. An endpiece for a packaging and applicatordevice as defined in claim
 1. 33. A packaging and dispenser devicecomprising: a flexible pouch, and a dispenser endpiece onto which thepouch is fastened, the dispenser endpiece comprising: a tubular bodyincluding an axis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and adispenser orifice; and two fins that are substantially diametrallyopposite, and that are situated on either side of the tubular body, eachfin comprising at least one portion including a longitudinal axis thatextends obliquely relative to the axis of the tubular body, the at leastone portion including two opposite faces that converge along a directionperpendicular to the longitudinal axis and away from the dispenserorifice.
 34. A packaging and dispenser device comprising: a flexiblepouch, and a dispenser endpiece onto which the pouch is fastened, thedispenser endpiece comprising: a tubular body including an axis, anddefining at least one inlet orifice and a dispenser orifice; and twofins that are substantially diametrally opposite, and that are situatedon either side of the tubular body, each fin comprising at least oneportion including a longitudinal axis that extends obliquely relative tothe axis of the tubular body, the at least one portion including twoopposite faces that converge along a direction parallel to the axis ofthe tubular body and away from the dispenser orifice.
 35. A packagingand dispenser device comprising: a flexible pouch, and an endpiece ontowhich the pouch is fastened, the endpiece comprising: a tubular bodyincluding an axis, and defining at least one inlet orifice and adispenser orifice, and two fins that are substantially diametrallyopposite, and that are situated on either side of the tubular body, eachfin comprising a longitudinal top edge and a longitudinal bottom edgeand at least a portion that includes two opposite faces converging fromthe longitudinal top edge toward the longitudinal bottom edge, the pouchcomprising two opposite walls that are heat-sealed together, and thatdefine an inside space for containing a composition, the fins beingisolated from the inside space of the pouch over at least fraction of alength thereof by a zone in which the walls are heat-sealed together.